<p>A package of measures announced by the government to boost the housing market has been given at best a lukewarm reaction by an industry reeling under the ongoing effects of the credit crisis. The package included a one year stamp duty holiday for homes of £175,000 or less and the extension of HomeBuy Direct, a £300 million shared equity scheme for first time buyers. The government also announced the acceleration of a £400 million programme to deliver 5,500 new social rented homes. In launching the initiative the prime minister Gordon Brown said: “Help with stamp duty, help for first-time buyers, help to build more social housing, help to take unsold properties off the housing market and help for people who get into difficulties. These are the things a government should do to help us come through what is a difficult situation and show that our economy is resilient and will come through these problems.” However the industry was not convinced by the measures. </p> <p>HBF executive chairman Stewart Baseley, while welcoming the package, said that it fell short of what the industry had been calling for. He said more measures were needed to aid the mortgage market: “This remains a …